Today in Politics: Govt calls all-party meeting ahead of Monsoon Session of Parliament
The all-party meeting comes a day after the Opposition INDIA bloc held a virtual meeting on Saturday to discuss its strategy for the Monsoon Session and the issues it intends to raise to corner the government. Notably, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was absent from the meeting after it declared it was only part of the INDIA bloc for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
After the Saturday meeting, the INDIA bloc said there was a consensus among the allies on eight major issues to be raised in Parliament.
While the BJP-led NDA government seems to be keen to make the Monsoon Session heavy with its legislative agenda, the Opposition is set to corner the government over multiple issues, ranging from the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor to US President Donald Trump's claim of brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire, to the Election Commission (EC)'s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, as reported by Liz Mathew.
'The government has a heavy legislative agenda, but the session will be dominated by the SIR exercise in Bihar, Operation Sindoor and Ahmedabad air crash probe,' admitted a source from the Treasury benches.
Parliament is also expected to take up the issue of impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma, from whose Delhi residence stacks of currency notes were allegedly recovered. An inquiry committee will be set up by the presiding officer of the House concerned to probe charges against Justice Varma, whose timeline for submitting its report will be crunched from three months, sources said.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is set to hold a protest on Sunday in Villupuram district against the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government over its 'failure' to implement a 10.5% reservation for Vanniyars within the reservation for Most Backward Communities (MBCs).
However, the protest comes at a tumultuous time for the party, which is in the midst of a dispute between PMK founder S Ramadoss and his son, party president Anbumani over the leadership of the regional outfit.
But recent reports suggest the two are heading towards rapprochement after the alleged discovery of a tapping device at the senior Ramadoss's home, as reported by Arun Janardhanan.
According to two senior PMK sources and a confidant close to the family, a complaint filed on behalf of Ramadoss about the discovery of a sophisticated audio-tapping device at his house, and the hint that the son's side may be implicated in it, had prompted a flurry of damage-control efforts by the family. G Viswanathan, who runs the VIT Group of Institutions and is a long-time friend of the family, is reportedly the chief mediator.
However, the PMK and Ramadoss family later got apprehensive that the complaint provided a reason to the DMK government to send in state police into Ramadoss's house, as well as go after Anbumani. The PMK is an ally of the BJP-led NDA in the state.
This added an urgency to the mediation efforts between the father and son, and as per sources, a breakthrough is near.
A PMK leader said what contributed to the thaw was Anbumani's meeting last week with mother Saraswathi at a family wedding in Chennai. Anbumani and his wife Sowmya touched Saraswathi's feet and sought her blessings, as senior party members watched. The two sides reportedly went on to hold talks for nearly two hours, though Ramadoss and Anbumani made sure that they were not present together at the venue.
The signs of a truce before the protest on Sunday, which is expected to attract more than 5,000 party cadres, could provide a symbolic boost to the party.
– With PTI inputs
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The Wire
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- The Wire
A Political Soup is on the Boil for Telangana's BJP
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Instead, the conflict has intensified, exposing fault lines that could derail the party's ambitions where it once seemed poised for growth. Anatomy of a public feud The trigger was a visit by Bandi Sanjay to Huzurabad, an assembly segment in his Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat. He questioned the loyalty of unnamed leaders and alleged a conspiracy to cut his vote share in the parliamentary polls. "Should we give the party ticket to such a candidate?" he asked, a clear reference to upcoming local elections. The target was unmistakable. Etela Rajender, who represented Huzurabud for multiple terms and sees it as his bastion, took the remarks as a direct challenge. His response was swift and theatrical. Gathering hundreds of supporters at his home, Rajender launched a furious counter-attack. Without naming Sanjay, he unleashed a personal tirade. "Who is he? Is he a psycho, a sadist, a human or an animal?" he charged. 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Observers suggest his error may be applying these methods within the BJP, a centralised party where open factionalism is anathema. While his Huzurabad win showed his personal appeal, his recent victory in Malkajgiri depended heavily on the BJP's organisation and the 'Modi wave' – a key distinction from the party's perspective. The endgame: pressure, exit or stalemate? With the conflict open, analysts see several outcomes. One view is that this is a high-stakes pressure tactic. Having helped force a leadership change once, Rajender may believe he can create another crisis. He has always aimed to be the party's Chief Ministerial face. He may be angling for a Union Cabinet post or another key role, assuming he is too influential to sideline. A second possibility is an exit. Yet, his options are difficult. A ghar wapsi (homecoming) to the BRS seems unlikely. The ruling Congress is already crowded with ambitious leaders. Launching a new BC-based party is a huge risk in a state where regional identity has proven stronger than caste, at least for now. This leaves the BJP in a dilemma. Punishing a prominent BC leader like Rajender could alienate a crucial vote bank and warn off other potential leaders. But inaction is just as risky. It undermines the new state president, shatters the party's image of discipline, and demoralises the cadre. Worse, it makes a mockery of its own OBC outreach. The future of the Telangana BJP now hinges on resolving this internal war. The choice is not just about managing two ambitious leaders; it is about salvaging its most important political project in the state. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
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First Post
16 minutes ago
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After 6 years, India and Nepal resume boundary talks; working group to meet on July 27-29
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